I haven’t made pan de bono for far too long, let’s say 10 years ago too long. My husband is half Colombian on his maternal side and it was always natural that we’d adopt everything Colombian and Cuban so our boys would grow understanding and appreciating both of their cultural roots. Pan de Bono is definitely up there with my favorite as far as Colombian cuisine goes. They are the perfect mildly cheesy, soft, buttery appetizer perfect for pairing with any meal, or hey, make it a meal if you make enough. This recipe makes about 35 or so pan de bono balls. Don’t get your hopes up though, they’ll likely not make it a day.
Pan De Bono
Ingredients
- 8 ounces queso fresco (Mexican)
- ⅓ cup masa harina corn flour
- ⅔ cup tapioca starch
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
Prepare
- First, preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and set it aside.
Make the dough. - In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the cheese and mix until all the large pieces are crumbled.
- Next, add the masa, tapioca starch, and salt, and mix until well-combined. Then add the egg and mix until a very smooth, everything will come together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Refrigerate dough for 15 mins then divide into 12 balls by rolling them in between your hands.
- Divide the dough into 12 balls, roll each into a round between your palms, and place about 1 apart and bake for 10 minutes
- Remove from the oven, brush the rolls with melted butter and return to the oven to continue baking until for 5 more minutes.
- Finally, allow the rolls to cool briefly before serving.Enjoy!
